﻿educate yourself, save others.﻿

This summer I organized a pro­life booth at the county fair. I passed out pro­life literature and displayed fetal models. At the end of the week, a man approached me with a baby model I had given to a young girl. On it she had written "Don't judge me.”

Apparently she had had an abortion and felt judged by my display. The purpose of my booth was to raise public interest by educating the community; It was not my intention to condemn anyone. I was disappointed she had missed a brochure I had on display titled Healing the Hurt. It outlines a path to healing: remember the pain, accept forgiveness, identify and release the anger, grieve the loss, and take hope. Recently I was speaking to a group of acquaintances about abortion. I told them that abortion was murder. A girl repeatedly asked me about cases to save the mother's life. I explained that cases like that are extremely rare, but if a procedure was done to remove a threat on mother's life and the pregnancy was spontaneously naturally terminated, it wouldn't be considered killing the child. She began crying and told me she had been diagnosed with cancer and before receiving chemotherapy had received an abortion because she didn't want to carry the child for a few months and then miscarry it. She felt like she had done what she had to do at the time, but every time she saw a baby she would think of her own.

Marilyn at her pro-life booth!

I hadn't known known her story before we began talking, and I felt like I wasn't qualified to counsel and comfort her. I have read so many stories like hers of women who regret their abortion, but actually speaking to a person who had felt it broke my heart.

Abortion not only ends a human life, it is traumatizing to the mother. Many women who have received an abortion experience grief, guilt, self­destructive behaviors, anxiety, psychological numbing, depression, and trouble with bonding. Abortion does not empower women, it is actually a war on women. My hometown is blessed to have a crisis pregnancy center. I know many of the ladies that work there, and they have kind generous hearts. They tirelessly council young women who have experienced abortion and provide loving support. I did not hesitate to refer her there. In January, Nebraska US Senate candidate Ben Sasse released a video titled “This is About the Babies.” In the video he explains how the lives of unborn children should be a priority in congress. After viewing this video, I put my support behind him. It is always refreshing and encouraging to see potential lawmakers that value human life. However as pro­life activists I think it is important to remember that our work is about both the child and the mother. Life chains and county fairbooths should be coupled with volunteering at one’s local crisis pregnancy center. Let’s work to end abortion and heal the hurt.